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Oliver Mbekeka: Uganda’s First Female Manager in Men’s Premier League

Oliver Mbekeka: Uganda’s First Female Manager in Men’s Premier League

Oliver Mbekeka

Oliver Mbekeka’s experience inspires hope for other women aspiring to careers in football management, showing that, despite the industry’s inherent challenges, it is possible to succeed.

By Tuka Letura 

Five games into the 2024/25 season, newly promoted Lugazi FC were the only winless team in the Uganda Premier League. On 18 October 2024, the club parted ways with Sadick Sempigi and appointed Oliver Mbekeka as interim head coach. With this appointment, Mbekeka made history as the first woman to manage a top-flight men’s football team in Uganda.

Oliver Mbekeka joins Ethiopia’s Meseret Manni and Sierra Leone’s Victoria Conteh as only the third woman ever to lead a top-flight men’s football team on the continent.

Appointed in 2015, Manni became the first woman to coach a men’s top-flight team in Africa when she took charge of Dire Dawa Kenema FC in the Ethiopian Premier League, successfully preventing the club from relegation.

Oliver Mbekeka shares enthusiasm after her first game in charge
Oliver Mbekeka shares enthusiasm after her first game in charge

Later, in December 2019, Sierra Leone’s Victoria Conteh followed suit, becoming her country’s first female head coach of a men’s Premier League side with East End Lions.

The idea of women managing in men’s football is one the football world has often struggled to accept, with resistance arising from various reasons. Europe only witnessed its first woman-led men’s team in 2021, and remarkably, it was an African: Helen Nkwocha

Though born in London, Nkwocha, a cousin of Nigerian football icon, Perpetual Nkwocha, made history as the first woman to coach a top-flight men’s team in Europe. She was appointed caretaker manager of Tvoroyrar Boltfelag, one of the oldest clubs in the Faroe Islands.

Helen Nkwocha
Helen Nkwocha

Europe has had its own struggles with embracing women in managerial roles within men’s football. It wasn’t until May 2024 that Sabrina Wittmann broke new ground in Germany, taking over as interim head coach of Ingolstadt and becoming the first woman to manage a team in the top three tiers of German football.

However, over a decade earlier, in 2014, Helena Costa achieved a similar milestone in France by becoming the first woman to coach a men’s professional team when appointed by Clermont Foot 63, a second-division club based in Clermont-Ferrand.

Being the first female manager in Uganda to lead a top-flight men’s football team is a remarkable achievement for Oliver Mbekeka, but the initial excitement often fades as attention turns to on-field performance. Every “first” eventually recedes into the background, with success in the league taking centre stage.

Ideally, stepping into an established team—or one not struggling with relegation—would offer a smoother path, but Mbekeka’s situation is quite different. She is the interim manager and will only be in charge for one game.

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On a positive note, Oliver Mbekeka marked a significant milestone by winning her first game in charge of Lugazi FC, securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Express FC at Nakivubo. This victory not only enhances her credentials but also offers a glimpse of her potential.

Oliver Mbekeka
Oliver Mbekeka

However, on October 25, Lugazi FC confirmed the appointment of Steven Bogere as the permanent manager for the remainder of the season.

Although her time in the role may have been short-lived, Oliver Mbekeka’s tenure as the first woman to manage a top-flight men’s football team in Uganda has underscored a significant breakthrough in a traditionally male-dominated arena.

The positive reception of her management reflects a changing attitude within the football community, indicating that such milestones are becoming increasingly accepted and celebrated. Oliver Mbekeka’s experience inspires hope for other women aspiring to careers in football management, showing that, despite the industry’s inherent challenges, it is possible to succeed.

Tuka Letura is an experienced sports writer with over five years of experience in the craft. He uses data and statistics to provide analysis and commentary. From regional to worldwide competitions, he has covered a wide range of sports-related events and topics. He is devoted to sharing his enthusiasm for sports with his audience and engaging them with interesting anecdotes and viewpoints.

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